India

Bhopal, Dec 18 (IANS) A Congress delegation, led by state Congress chief Kamal Nath on Sunday met Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and sought a committee be formed to probe charges filed against party leaders and workers due to political enmity.

Kamal Nath was accompanied by Leader of Opposition in Assembly Dr Govind Singh and Rajya Sabha MP and former Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh.

The Congress, which alleged that leaders and workers of the party are being harassed by the police on the behest of ruling BJP also handed over a letter to Chouhan urging him to constitute a probe panel under supervision of Assembly Speaker Girish Gautam in the matter.

In the letter, released to press later, the Congress has alleged that people associated with it are being framed under false charges, especially in Sagar, Datiya and Tikamgarh districts.

"You (referring to Chouhan) know that opposition leaders were never falsely targeted or harassed due to political enmity. You are requested to conduct an independent inquiry in the matter. We believe that false cases imposed against opposition leaders and workers will be removed and those are behind this will be punished," it read.

Digvijaya Singh on Saturday visited Sagar and during a meeting with district party workers, slammed the ruling BJP of falsely implicating people associated with the party in cases.

"In my long political career, I have never seen such political enmity when a large number of people and their family members are harassed on the behest of the ruling party. People are being harassed and are being falsely implicated due to political rivalry. This kind of politics was never played in Madhya Pradesh," Digvijaya Singh said on Sunday.

--IANS
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Agartala, Dec 18 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday that the budget for the all-round development and welfare of the tribals has been increased to Rs 88,000 crore from the earlier 21,000 crore.

Addressing a rally at the Swami Vivekananda ground in Agartala, Modi said that over 50,000 Van Dhan Kendras is functioning across the country, providing livelihood to 9 lakh tribals.

"As the BJP governments have taken a series of welfare measures for the tribals, their first choice is the BJP. After 27 years, BJP secured a big victory in the recent Assembly elections in Gujarat. Out of 27 tribal reserved seats, BJP won 24 seats," Modi said.

To woo the tribal voters for the upcoming Assembly elections in Tripura, the Prime Minister highlighted many pro-tribal schemes and government's efforts for the welfare of the tribals.

He said that earlier there were only 100 Eklavya Model Residential Schools, and now it has increased to 500 in the county.

Referring to the Ayushman Bharat Yojana, the Prime Minister said that over 7,000 Health and Wellness centres were set up in the northeast to provide medical treatments including critical diseases to the people. A Health services are now at the doorsteps of the people, he added.

Modi said that his government has been observing November 15 as aJanjatiya Gaurav Divasa¿ to mark the birth anniversary of the tribal leader and freedom fighter ABirsa Munda and added that 10 tribal museums are being set up across the country.

"Previous NDA government had set up a separate Tribal Affairs Ministry," Referring to the Agartala )-Akhaura (Bangladesh) new railway project, he said that Tripura would be an international gateway and trade and various economic activities would be undertaken with the neighbouring countries.

Appreciating Chief Minister Manik Saha and his government, Modi said that Tripura is a leading state in the country in providing houses to the poor people.

The Prime Minister naugurated multiple projects and laid foundation stones for a few other projects worth over Rs 4,350 crore and he launched the "Grih Pravesh" programme for beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (both urban and rural).These houses, developed at a cost of over Rs 3,400 crore, benefiting over two lakh beneficiaries.

Modi also inaugurated the first state Institute of Hotel Management at Anandnagar on the outskirts of Agartala and the first Agartala Government Dental College in the capital city.

The Prime Minister also inaugurated the project for widening of the Agartala bypass (Khayerpur - Amtali) NH-08), which would help ease traffic congestion in Agartala city and laid the foundation stones for 32 roads of more than 230 km length under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana and for improvement of 112 roads covering a distance of over 540 Km.

--IANS
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New Delhi, Dec 18 (IANS) The RSS-affilated Bharatiya Kisan Sangh has invited farmers to reach its 'Kisan Garjana' rally to be held at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi on Monday in large numbers.

In a letter, the BKS said: "Even after 75 years of Independence, farmers are still waiting to see when they will get justice. At least, they get 'remunerative price on cost basis'. That is not available, on top of this, there is GST on all the inputs. Under the law, input credit is available to all producers except farmers."

It said the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi, "though a good step", was "an inadequate step in the right direction, yet the farmers welcomed it wholeheartedly".

"But this Kisan Samman Nidhi is of the year 2019 at Rs.6,000. In today's situation per year, it is very little due to price rise in all inputs."

It said that the government gives subsidy on fertilisers, but mostly this is not in the interest of the farmer but in the interest of the companies.

Raising the issue of permission to the GM mustard, the BKS said that on hand, the Prime Minister talks about natural farming, about bio-diversity, about the conservation of Panchmahabhoot, on the other hand, the Ministry of Environment works completely opposite these.

Similarly, it has been announced to connect every area with a river for water, but the ground, nothing is visible and that is why is organising the huge 'Kisan Garjana' rally.

The BKS said that their main demands are farmers should get remunerative price on the basis of cost, there should be an increase in proportion in the Kisan Samman Nidhi, GST on agricultural inputs should be scrapped and permission for GM crops should be withdrawn.

--IANS
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Shillong, Dec 18 (IANS) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said that in the past 8 years, there has been a 74 per cent reduction in insurgency incidents in the northeast region, 60 per cent decrease in incidents of attacks on security forces, and 89 per cent decline in civilian deaths, while about 8,000 militants of various outfits have surrendered and joined the mainstream.

Addressing the North East Council (NEC) meeting, he said that earlier there used to be a demand to remove the AFSPA (Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act) from the northeast, but now the demand does not arise, and rather the Centre is taking steps to remove it.

He said that now 60 per cent area of Assam, seven districts of Nagaland, 15 police stations in six districts of Manipur and Tripura and Meghalaya have become completely AFSPA-free, while in only one district of Arunachal Pradesh is the AFSPA yet to be lifted.

"These are great achievements made possible due to the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi because without peace, it is impossible to develop institutions of development, education and health. During the tenure of Modi, the agreement with the National Liberation Front of Tripura in 2019, the Reang (Bru) and Bodo Agreement in 2020, and Karbi Agreement in 2021 were agreed upon," the Home Minister said.

He claimed that Assam-Meghalaya and Assam-Arunachal inter-state border disputes have also almost ended, and due to the restoration of peace, the northeast region has moved on the path of development.

Shah said that earlier funds allocated to the northeast did not reach the bottom most level, but after Modi became the Prime Minister, funds are reaching villages and being utilised for development, and this is a great achievement.

Noting that the Prime Minister has always given priority to the northeast, he said that Modi has visited the region more than 50 times in the last 8 years, while Central ministers have also visited the area more than 400 times.

Due to improved infrastructure, the possibilities of tourism have increased in the northeast, as also many small industries, educational institutions and sports-related institutions have also opened.

Shah also said the Prime Minister has also taken up the project of connecting every capital of the northeastern states by road, train and through air connectivity.

Till eight years ago, the entire northeast was only known for bandhs, strikes, bomb blasts and firing, and the people of the region could not live peacefully due to the activities of different militant groups.

Prime Minister Modi, Governors and Chief Ministers, senior officials of several northeastern states participated in the NEC meeting.

--IANS
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New Delhi, Dec 18 (IANS) Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and party leader Rahul Gandhi will jointly address a rally in Rajasthan's Alwar on Monday, where they will raise the issue of Chinese PLA's trangsressions across the LAC.

Party sources said that after being denied from raising the issue in Parliament, the party is likely to raise the issue in the public meeting.

Gandhi on Friday had said that China is constantly preparing for war while theIndian government is asleep.

"Our government is hiding the information on the preparations of China. The Government of India does not work strategically, it works on an event basis. When it comes to geopolitics, events do not work there. Foreign Minister's statements keep coming, but he needs to deepen his understanding," he said at a press conference.

Gandhi also expressed his surprise saying that no one, including the media, is asking questions on China, despite it occupying Indian territory and martyring 20 Indian soldiers.

--IANS
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Bhopal, Dec 18 (IANS) The Congress' Madhya Pradesh Congress unit has announced that it would reintroduce the farm loan waiver scheme, which was part of its manifesto in the 2018 Assembly polls, if voted to power in the 2023 elections.

State chief and former Chief Minister Kamal Nath made this announcement last evening, saying that the farm loan of every farmer in the state would have been cleared by now if his government was still at the helm.

Ahead of the 2018 polls, then Congress chief Rahul Gandhi had promised to implement a farm loan waiver scheme in the state if the party came to power. "On this day (Dec 17), the order for loan waiver of the farmers of the state was issued. Had the democratically elected Congress government been in power now, the loan of each and every farmer of the state would have been waived by now," Nath tweeted.

The party delivered on its promise as Kamal Nath signed the file for waiving loans of up to Rs 2 lakh soon after taking oath as the Chief Minister in December 2018.

Nath assured that the loan of farmers would be waived if Congress returns to power in the state. "There is nothing to worry about. As soon as the Congress government is formed next year, this order will be issued again and the loan of each and every farmer brother will be waived," he said in another tweet.

Earlier, Nath has also announced plans to re-introduce the old pension system to state government employees. The elections in Madhya Pradesh are scheduled at the end of 2023.

--IANS
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New Delhi, Dec 18 (IANS) The Parliament's Standing Committee on Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Food Processing will be briefed by Animal Husbandry Department officials on the Lumpy Skin Disease, affecting the county's cattle.

"Briefing by the Representatives of the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying (Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying) on the Subject - Spread of Lumpy Skin Disease in Cattle in the Country and issues related therewith," the schedule of the committee, headed by BJP Lok Sabha member Parvatagouda Chandanagouda Gaddigoudar, said.

Cattle deaths due to the isease in the country during 2022 totalled 1,55,366, while the number of cases and vaccinations was 29,45,863 and 6,28,84,366, respectively, in this year.

Rajasthan was the worst-hit and reported the highest toll. Cases were also reported from Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, and J&K.

--IANS
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Lucknow, Dec 18 (IANS) Senior BJP leader and ex-cabinet minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said on Sunday that for decades, Muslim votes are being "chewed like chewing gum" and "chucked like castaway".

Addressing ‘Minorities Rights Day' programme, organised by Uttar Pradesh Minorities Commission in Lucknow, Naqvi said that the "crook contractors of votes" have committed "cruel, communal, criminal conspiracy" against the minorities to "hijack" their socio-economic and educational empowerment.

Naqvi added, "Today, India has become the flagbearer of inclusive empowerment by crushing the curse of communalism."

Naqvi said that the "treacherous traders of votes" are responsible for economic, educational and social backwardness of some sections of the Muslim community.

Naqvi added that today the time has changed, the environment has changed and mood of the country has changed.

The ‘Modi Magic' has replaced the ‘praxis of polarisation' with ‘politics of prosperity', he said.

Along with majority communities, the minority communities have been benefitted equally by the positive atmosphere of "development with trust" in the governments led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Uttar Pradesh minister of state for minority welfare, Danish Azad, UP minorities commission chairman Ashfaq Saifi, BJP UP minority morcha president Basit Ali and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.

--IANS
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By Sanket Pathak
New Delhi, Dec 18 (IANS) Fake currency notes, with face value of crores of rupees are being caught every year, indicating an increase in their circulation in the country.


This creates trouble for the common people and poses a big challenge for the government and the police.

According to sources, police and other security forces have seized fake currency worth the face value of Rs 137 crore in the last three years.

The seized counterfeit new notes of Rs 2000 are also amount to crores in face value.

Fake currency is mostly traded or smuggled from Pakistan and is sent to India across the border among other routes, sources said.

The Border Security Force (BSF) and the police forces have been successful in seizing such notes to an extent, but a lot still remains to be done.

The Central government claimed to curb fake currency by demonetisation, whereas statistics reveal a starkly different reality.

According to data provided by the Union Home Ministry, fake notes of face value Rs 137,96,17,270 crore were caught from 2019 to 2021.

As many as 3,10,066 lakh fake notes were seized in 2021, whose face value was Rs 20,39,27,660 crore.

A total of 8,34,947 lakh fake notes with face value of Rs 92,17,80,480 crore were confiscated in 2020, apart from 2,87,404 lakh fake notes of face value Rs 25,39,09,130 crore in 2019.

According to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), fake currency of the denominations of Rs 2000 and Rs 500 were seized in large amounts in the last three years.

In 2021, the face value of seized fake notes of the Rs 2000 denomination was Rs 4,84,78,000 crore, while the seized notes of Rs 500 had face value of Rs 12,57,99,000 crore.

As many as 2,44,834 lakh notes of Rs 2000 in 2020 and 90,566,000 notes in 2019 were seized.

Apart from this, fake notes of Rs 500 denomination have also been seized in lakhs from across the country over the years.

The MHA apprised that the figures did not indicate any specific pattern regarding the circulation of Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN).

The government claimed that the intelligence and security agencies of the Central and state governments had been keeping a keen eye on the elements involved in the spread of FICN and took action against reported violations.

Several steps are being taken by the MHA to thwart the same.

According to the government, an FICN Coordination group had been constituted by the Home Ministry for sharing information among the security agencies of the state and Centre to combat the problem.

A Terror Funding and Fake Currency (TFFC) Cell has been constituted in the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to conduct focused investigation of terror financing and fake currency cases.

The government claimed to have strengthened the international border security by deploying additional men for round-the-clock surveillance, by setting up surveillance posts along the border, erecting fences and intensive patrolling.

An MoU has been signed between India and Bangladesh to prevent and combat smuggling and circulation of counterfeit currency notes, while training programmes have been organised for state police officers as well as those of Nepal and Bangladesh to make them aware about the problem.

The Reserve Bank of India has prepared a strategy to curb counterfeit notes, reportedly taking various measures, including raising security standards on bank notes, to make counterfeiting difficult and costly and organising awareness programmes for the public.

--IANS
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New Delhi, Dec 18 (IANS) Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will on Monday introduce The Appropriation (No 4 & 5) Bills, 2022, in the Rajya Sabha for consideration, and for returning to the Lok Sabha, where they have already been passed.

The Appropriation (No 5) Bill, 2022, is to authorise payment and appropriation of certain further sums from and out of the Consolidated Fund of India for the services of the financial year 2022-2023.

The Appropriation (No 4) Bill, 2022, is to provide for authorisation of appropriation of moneys out of the Consolidated Fund of India to meet the amounts spent on certain services during the financial year ended on the March 31, 2020, in excess of the amounts granted for those services and for that year, as passed by Lok Sabha.

--IANS
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